A Little Piece of Acknowledgement
by vindictive Glory
Summary: after the events of the bridge, Naruto learns what it means to be acknowledged, with a new goal in hand, he will strive to be acknowledged for his own hard work and ingenuity.
1. Chapter 1

**A Little Piece of Acknowledgement**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or this would all be a form of canon.**

**Chapter 1: Gratitude**

* * *

He breathed in, his goofy grin breaching the sadness he felt earlier; these people were all so happy, and he was just happy to have played a part in it all. There were so many, they thanked him, told him they were going to name their kids after him, and some kids even saying they wanted to be a shinobi just like him. Not like Sasuke; but like him.

He wasn't ashamed to admit that it felt good. Compared to the stares, to the whispers and glares, this felt more like home than the leaf did. If he could achieve this here, then it could be done in his real home.

He kicked his legs from the rooftop, and a part of his mind, the pessimistic-or pragmatic-part of his mind rebelled. "These people are cheering, but for what? They don't know what happened. They didn't know that Sasuke almost died and so did we." it whispered harshly, and he shot back just as harshly. "That's why we have to get stronger."

He didn't know when he had began talking to himself, it was just sort of, one of those things, but more often than not, the voice usually made very good points. First and foremost, it advised him against Mizuki, and yet he didn't listen and look what happened? He may have made Genin but so many things could have gone wrong. Iruka could have died, _he _could have died. Or even been imprisoned.

He decided that maybe the voice wasn't as annoying as he once thought. It did make a good point, he could have died, Sasuke could have died, even Kakashi-sensei and Sakura were in danger. He had to follow what Haku said, he had to become strong enough to protect his precious people.

He got up from his position on the roof and scanned the buildings, while blocking the sun from his eyes by covering the area above his brow. He knew what he had to do, and it wouldn't be easy. He had to swallow his pride, but what else was there? That's right, he was going to thank… Sasuke.

* * *

Sasuke, he always looked so strong, so powerful and no matter what he tried; he could never reach his level. It was difficult for him to even relate to the Uchiha, never mind trying to match his teammate in a fight. He never gave up though, at his current level, he was as close as he had ever been to besting the Uchiha. Now that he had unlocked those …special eyes of his, the Sharing gun? Yeah he was sure it was called that. He didn't believe he could hold a candle to him.

However, at this moment, Konohamaru would make mincemeat out of the bast-out of Sasuke. He was wrapped from neck to ankle in medical wraps, midnight blue shorts covering his knees, so he wasn't quite sure how far the wraps extended.

"Loser, what do you want?" asked Sasuke, erupting into a coughing fit.

Naruto tightened his fist at his side, then relaxed it, he wasn't sure if Sasuke had taken note of it, but he was definitely eyeing him curiously. Almost how Shino looked at his insects. "I just want-" Naruto took another calming breath. "I just want to say thanks!" Naruto forced it out, god that felt good to say. "I know you said you didn't mean it. And I don't care. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. And that means more to me than you know. I will become Hokage, and you will kill your brother!" Naruto clenched his fist, stabbing a kunai into it. He affirmed each and every word with that one action.

"Great way of showing your appreciation," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "it doesn't help if you try to kill yourself all over again."

"That is my word Sasuke. Nothing will break it. Not even pain. We survived the bridge, we better make the most of it and you better not slack. Or I just might became Hokage before you kill your brother." Naruto said firmly.

"Hmmf," Sasuke smirked, part of him wished he hadn't told Naruto about his ambition. He didn't know what came over him. Oh, yes, he almost died. "Its a wager then. Me against you, the first to fulfill their ambitions."

"Sasuke…" Naruto grinned, maybe he wasn't so bad.

"Now get out my fucken room," he scowled, leaning back.

"We share this room," Naruto exclaimed, once a bastard always a bastard. "but whatever, I know you have brooding to do."

Naruto turned his back, and opened the door. "Hey, loser."

"What?" the blond turned around, and he was hit flush with a bowl to the face. It was miracle the bowl hadn't cracked.

"Take that bowl to the kitchen for me, will ya." the Uchiha then turned over to his side and went to sleep, seemingly.

Naruto shrugged, he and Sasuke would never be best friends, or brothers as some called it. Rivals, that was good enough for him. In the end as long as they were both strong, there wasn't anything to worry about.

* * *

Naruto dumped the bowl in the kitchen sink. The bridge would be complete in two weeks, he hoped to use that time to get stronger. "Why not visit Zabuza and Haku's hideout? They should have at least something there." his other voice said, and Naruto didn't think it was that bad of an idea. Now he just needed to find it. Fortunately, he had the ability to be a one-man search party.

The blonde crossed his right pair of index and middle fingers over his left pair and called out his technique. "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!" there was fog of smoke, and as it cleared, legions and legions of orange-clad, whiskered-faced, blonds were formed. "Yosh! Lets go find their hideout!"

Naruto thought it was odd that they already knew what he wanted them to do, but in the end chalked it up to just being part of the technique. They were clones of him after all. In a storm of orange and yellow his clones spread out in almost every direction, kicking up sand and dust, until only one of them remained within the center. The original.

He ran his hand through his golden spikes, dusting the sand and dust from his hair. "I really need to make sure that I'm not in the middle the next time that happens." complained Naruto, spitting sand from his mouth.

Before he ransacked the two missing ninja's-well, not really two, more like one missing-nin and his follower-base, he would pay his respects one last time. The two resided through the light green trees, on a large hill, overlooking the the deep blue ocean around wave. Zabuza's ridiculously large cleaver blade was embedded in the ground, as a grave marker.

Except, Naruto's mental image was ruined by the presence of tall, dark haired ninja. Naruto learned a lot from his failures during this mission. One such failure being that he never took the time to think things through before action. This time he wouldn't make that same mistake.

Naruto created a clone. "Run back to Kakashi if things go bad."

His clone nodded, quickly taking refuge behind a tree. Naruto started his trek up the hill and the dark haired man faced him. The first thing Naruto noticed was a red-grid tattoo over his mouth, and upon further inspection he noticed that his teeth were razor sharp. "Just like Zabuza's!"

"Hoho, you knew Zabuza?" the man asked, fully exposing his razor sharp teeth.

Naruto cursed, he really needed to keep his thoughts to himself, instead of vocalizing them so… well vocally. "And just who the hell are you?" Naruto looked at his forehead protector, four vertical wavy lines, just like Zabuza's and just like Zabuza's it had a horizontal line cutting through the center. "Are you another one of those seven swordsman?"

"You could say that," grinned the older man. "And you must be a little leaf genin."

"So, what if I am?!" exclaimed Naruto, okay so maybe he was a bit loud. But nobody spoke about his village like that!

"Relax, I didn't mean any offense by it. I know of a lot of strong shinobi from your village." said the missing-nin. Casually resting his hand on the handle of Kubikiribōchō. "heh, actually I should have a bit of grudge. That Dai Maito almost killed me and what was left of my team."

"Wait… you fought my village?" Naruto took a step back, reaching for his shuriken holster.

The missing-nin wasn't worried, and casually replied. "Yeah, but that's old news. Back during the third shinobi war. Then I worked with a leaf shinobi too. Those guys are good to have on your side. Heh, brings back memories of Itachi."

"Wait… Itachi," Naruto stopped reaching for his shuriken holster. He felt as if he should know that name.

"Yeah, Itachi Uchiha. He took down the third Mizukage with one move. That guy really was something else." the missing-nin pulled Zabuza's sword from out the ground and slung it over his shoulder. "Out of respect for those leaf shinobi, I'll help you out. You should never underestimate any opponent. Be they civilian, ninja or samurai. Keep this lesson in mind in everything you do and you will grow strong, leaf genin."

The missing-nin disappeared, leaving only a puddle of water behind. Taking Kubikiribōchō with. "Hey! That's not yours!"

His clone came up to him once he saw that it was safe and said, "Its not like we're any different. We're stealing from Zabuza too."

"Yeah… but, arrgh, you're right." Naruto cursed.

he felt a little weak and manually dispelled his clone, hoping that the chakra would return to him. He was lucky that a fight didn't break out between him and that mist missing-nin. Using so many clones really wasn't-suddenly images flew through his mind, almost too quick for him to catch on to, but he did. It was of hill he stood on now, and at first he thought it was just memories he had of the place, but he was wrong. It was an image of the hill, with figures standing atop it, talking. One in black and the other in orange… wait in orange? That was him. How in the hell was he seeing himself?

The images faded but Naruto's questions were not answered, until just a few moments later, his mind was assaulted by many more images, this time there was a greater length. He saw himself jumping through tree's, crossing a river, and then jumping, weaving and swinging through a mass of closely intertwined trees, before he came across a cave with a door where a open hole should be.

He reached out, the door was smooth, and then something froze him, it was warm and it vibrated through his whole body, and then, then he knew no more.

"That must be their base." Naruto stopped mid-step, and leaned against the base of a particularly large tree. "So, my clones give me their memories. Kind of? I mean I see all these pictures in my head." he massaged the sides of his temples. "and I hear their thoughts too? This is weird."

The biggest question on his mind was: why hadn't he noticed this before? He had used the jutsu over fifty times since learning it. Then he thought back to after his confrontation with the Hidden Mist missing-nin. He was feeling kind of low on energy from all the chakra he had used on making his search party. So, he focused on getting his chakra back from one of his clones and it gave him its memories too.

"So, that's it?" thought Naruto, smiling. He could use this. The amount of training he could do with this technique would be awesome. He brought his hands together in a ram hand seal and closed his eyes. He reached out to his clones, he could just feel their chakra on the edge of his senses. He breathed in, and when he breathed out, he focused on the clones losing form, and their chakra returning to him.

Sweat formed on his brow from the exertion. Then, as if a million voices were all trying to speak at the same time, his mind was assaulted with noise, both loud and soft, and yet he could hear every single voice. He fell to his knees clutching his head. His eyes closed, and creases twisting through his forehead, it was plain to see he was in pain.

Then his own voice shouted, it screamed, vibrating in his throat.

He saw trees, and then that image was replaced by another where he saw himself in a tree, and then another where he saw a clone running, and another was sleeping in a tree, while the next image showed him the beaches of wave, all of them superimposing the next, fighting to have their voice heard, the volume becoming louder and louder, he couldn't take it any more, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

* * *

Naruto awoke, and for a second he thought he was blind, then light began filtering through and he found that he was only in a very dark tunnel. Which was odd, because last he saw there was a lot of light, and he was surrounded by trees, not concrete stone.

More light began filtering through and he noticed a steel pipe above his head, and upon closer inspection, he noticed, small red puddles at his feet. "Am I in a sewer?"

He walked down the passage way, towards the light, and noticed more puddles, they were getting smaller and smaller. He looked up, and dim bulbs of light were mounted above, on the ceiling. He turned a corner, and another and one last, all in the same direction and he found a chamber.

Great gates of gold toward above him, with bars thicker than he was. In the middle, where the two gates met was a large sheet of paper with the kanji for seal drawn on to its surface.

"Just what is this place?" Naruto asked curiously, Naruto jumped to the side when he saw his twin. Except for the fact that he had a pair of red eyes, instead of blue, and they were devoid of any pupils.

"I don't know either. I usually keep away from here." shrugged his twin. "but since you're here, well I had to back you up."

"Okay, just who the hell are you?" Naruto pointed and accusatory finger at his look-a-like,

"you don't recognize my voice?" the red eyed boy asked, quirking his brow.

"Your voice…" Naruto's eyes widened. "you mean that's… _you!_"

"Yup, who else would I be?" asked the boy in amusement.

"So what do I call you?" asked Naruto, while studying the gate.

"I'm your darker half. All your repressed emotions, it was I that helped you get over all the hate directed at you and get out of it with nothing but a smile on your ugly mug." said his darker half. "You can call me, Yami for short."

"**Silence!"** exclaimed a loud, booming voice, it reverberated all over the chamber filling the two up, and vibrating outward. They took three quick back steps; almost in-sync. **"if its not bad enough that there is one of you whiny little brats, now I have to deal with two of you."**

Naruto was silent, sweat dropped from his brow and impacted the floor with a splash that could be heard shuddering through the tunnels and pipes around him. "He's the Nine tails, isn't he, Yami?"

"I think so, Naruto. I think so." replied Yami, and Naruto could tell he was just as nervous as he was.

"**Did you not hear me? Silence! I'm trying to sleep!"** roared the fox, **"Now begone!"** it roared unleashing a beastly, animalistic roar that launched Naruto through the underground tunnels, and he awoke with a start.

"What the hell?" he asked himself, looking around, he found that the sky was darkening and the sun was dipping.

"Are you alright?" Naruto heard the voice in his head ask.

"I'm fine," he thought back. "Why does your voice sound so strong?"

"I dunno. I guess ever since you came down here our connection must have become stronger." Yami replied.

Naruto nodded, though his other half couldn't see it. He brushed some of the twigs and leave that had accumulated in his hair, and sighed. He'd have to wait for tomorrow, if he wanted to get into their cave-hideout without Kakashi-sensei becoming curious about his absence. He started his walk back to Tazuna's house, going back through the small town. He wasn't afraid, or even nervous anymore.

When he first came here, he always put up a front. He smiled at everything. Even though no smiles were warranted. The sorry state of the town, which did not even have a name brought back memories he'd rather not dredge up. Now, though he wasn't nervous anymore, he and his team had helped this town, and their residents, they looked at him with eyes of gratitude. There wasn't any expectation from him. He'd just be himself.

Some kid waved at Naruto, and he waved back, smiling easily at the boy and he went on his way. He rubbed his temple, his head still pained, but it had descended into a dull ache. As he went, all he got were smiles, waves and laughter. He definitely had to come back here and spend as much time in the town as he could before he left.

"You should give them throwing lessons. Especially the kids." offered up Yami, his voice seemed softer, somehow. Naruto filed that into the back of his mind and nodded. He was no Sasuke, but he was still a ninja.

* * *

The next day Naruto found himself in a patch of forest surrounding Zabuza's and Haku's hideout. Not forgetting the memory of one of his clones from the day before, he summoned a clone, with a cross of his fingers, "Shadow Clone jutsu," it appeared in a puff of smoke, and tried to pry open the door, but it received a shock for its efforts.

He repeated the process, and had it touch the door, only for it to shock the clone once more. Naruto wasn't deterred however, he wasn't called the prankster king of the leaf for nothing. he wrapped a kunai in explosion tag, and threw it just on the hinge of the door.

He made a ram hand seal, and it exploded, sending bits of rock, wood and dust in all directions. When it cleared, the ground was littered with charred black stone fragments, and almost unrecognizable strips of blackened wood.

He coughed, when some of the toxic smoke filled his lungs, he managed to cover his mouth before any more got in, and he waited. The smoke finally cleared completely, and he noticed a light coming from the inside of the cave.

The cave was sparse, with little in the way of anything of note. There was a light bulb hanging from the center of the cave, while the corded end was attached to a seal on the caves, jagged ceiling. He wondered around, and found a bed to the one side, while right next to it laid a bedroll.

He found a pistil and mortar with the left overs, of some kind of pulp, and to its right was a metal pot with three thick legs at its base. It smelled somewhat minty, and it looked as if a hardened green substance had built up at the bottom.

He looked through the cave from bottom to top, and he found were a few books on chakra theory, jutsu theory, the nuances of the hand seals, what they mean, and how they effect one another. He took them regardless, because on the inside of each cover, there was a small name in the upper left-hand corner. _Haku_.

All these books belonged to Haku. They helped him get strong, so the chances of it helping him were just as likely. He then took note of a dull black handle, poking out from the bedroll that Haku must have slept on.

He moved the bed roll, and found sword in a scabbard, in total it seemed to be around the sixty centre-metre range.

He picked it up and drew the blade, it had a square tsuba, and a cord on the top of the handle. All in black. The blade itself was very square, only falling short at the bottom end of the blade. The blade was, oddly, very dark in color, as opposed to the close to reflective properties of most shinobi blades that Naruto had seen.

He shoved the books and the sword into his gray, travelling backpack. If he trained with that blade, he had no doubts that he would be just as awesome as Zabuza was. Maybe he'd even get his own cool nickname. Whatever the case, he was sure that this was the path to earning the respect of his home village.

* * *

"You've sure been busy, eh Naruto." said Kakashi. He was sitting across from Naruto, eating dinner, reading his little orange booklet and studying Naruto, all with one eye. "We barely see you anymore."

"I'm just taking in the awesomeness of wave before I go back home," said Naruto, his tone dropping towards the end.

Kakashi caught it. 'So the kid has grown attached to the hero worship, huh?' he guessed internally. 'Whatever, I'll let Naruto have his fun while it lasts.'

"What have you been up to, anyway?" asked Sakura.

"Not much, just looking around town and visiting the beach. Its my first time seeing one." he said softly. "Its pretty awesome. The way the waves just make you sleepy."

"Doesn't take a bunch of waves to make you sleepy. All you need is a lecture from Iruka and you're out like a light." Sasuke quipped.

Naruto stuck his tongue out, "Don't act like you are beyond his power!"

Sasuke turned his head to the side and crossed his arms. "Whatever, loser." he said, but there was no heat to it.

"Sasuke's wounds will be healing soon, and when it does we will continue training." said Kakashi, not bothering to look up from his booklet. "Unless the bridge is complete before then."

"You better rest up, Sasuke." Naruto grinned. "or I'll have a major head start on you!"

"Feh, as if that will help." Sasuke smirked in return.

"Don't count me out. I'm still stronger than you, Naruto!" Sakura pumped her fist, and Naruto suppressed the urge to laugh. Maybe at one point he liked Sakura; maybe even loved. But this mission had illuminated his way of thinking, and besides the constant nagging from Yami and slowly shown him the error of his ways. She was still his teammate, but nothing beyond that.

"Heh, academy scores aren't everything." Naruto replied, picking up his bowl and carrying it to the kitchen. "Thank you for the food, miss Tsunami."

* * *

Naruto sat on the roof of Tazuna's house, reading through one of the books that he had picked up. The front cover was titled: Our life Energy: Chakra and its basic components.

What he found was the most interesting were the underlined words, sentences and paragraphs in some places, while other sections of the book had little notes scrawled in the margins. Apparently he had been saying chakra wrong his entire life-as short as it was. he called it "catra" when it was in fact "Chakra".

That aside, he found out what actually gave chakra form. Spiritual energy, or anything related to the mind, and physical energy, otherwise known as the energy of the body. These two energies came together and formed chakra. The rest of it seemed a bit out there for him, but by the time he began covering that area, he started feeling very drowsy, so he closed the book and returned to his room.

* * *

Naruto was up early the next day, he took his gray travel bag with him to a dense patch of forest. He had no point of reference for his training, but he hoped to at least get a feel for it before he got back to the village. Then he'd ask Kakashi-sensei for his help.

He pulled out the black scabbard from his backpack and drew the sword. He left the scabbard on one side, while he got into a stance. It was lose, with the sword in a one-handed grip. Leaned his weight on to his right leg, then shifted around, trying to get comfortable.

He swung the sword across himself, and he almost stumbled. "So, that was terrible."

He shrugged and attempted the attack again, only to actually stumble this time, and almost impaling himself on his own sword. Sshit!" he cursed.

He would have to rethink this. There was no way he was going to commit sepukku. "Just go about it slower. You're not used to using a blade and you're going at full speed."

Naruto nodded. "You're right. What happened to you anyway? You went all silent on me there."

Yami went silent for a short while, and then he heard a shout, that sounded like it was coming from far away. "Come to the seal, and I'll tell you."

Naruto didn't have the faintest idea how to get there. He followed Yami's advice and slowly drew the blade across his person, he could feel from his shift in weight that his front leg wasn't in the right position because his knee kept buckling.

Naruto focused on the major sword strokes for what felt like hours, and kept fixing whatever he felt was wrong. He could, by no means, use the sword in a fight, but he was getting there.

He returned the blade to its scabbard; he had all the time in the world to learn to use a sword, and besides that he had other ideas for that method of training.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Naruto kneeled beside a young girl. Her skinny knees were scraped, a line of scarlet cutting across her very pale knee.

"Ow!" she cried, Naruto was quick to reach into his kunai pouch, "I hurt my leg when I was running away from these other guys." he pulled out a roll of medical wraps.

He unrolled a bit of the wraps and cut it with a kunai before wrapping a small piece over her knee. "Aah, that hurts!" tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she scrunched her nose up. "W-wait, that feel's better."

"So, why were those guys chasing you?" he asked the girl, she had chestnut brown hair.

"Oh, well uh we were playing hiding-go-seek, and I found all of them." she said.

Naruto remembered Yami's suggestion and thought that it would work. "Hey, do you want to learn how to be a ninja like me?"

She looked at him with star sin her eyes. "Yes! I would love to!" she replied.

"Okay good." Naruto grinned. "with my help you're going to be awesome. Dattebayo!" he then thought about for a second, and he had an idea. "Why don't you get all your friends and meet me at the bridge."

* * *

Naruto met the girl, and her friends, there were four of them in total, two boys and two girls. He brought Inari with him. From everything that he heard about Inari's past, he knew that the boy had no friends. He really wanted to help the kid out. He reminded Naruto of himself when he was younger.

"Before I start teaching you guys, why don't you tell me something about yourselves." said Naruto. He remembered how it went with his sensei, so he started. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. And I'm going to be Hokage one day." he kept it simple, if it went the same way as it did with his team, there was no telling how long they would be here.

"My name's Bachi Hana and I don't want playtime to stop. So I will protect wave from evil guys like Gato!" said the girl that Naruto helped.

The next one who spoke up was a boy, he had shoulder length curly hair and green eyes. "I'm Eiji Jinsoku and I'm going to be the fastest guy in wave!" grinned the boy, he must have been the same age as Konohamaru.

"I'm Inari, and I'm going to make my father proud by protecting wave with nothing but my two hands." said Inari; Naruto raised his eyebrow at how determined the boy sounded. He really was just like him.

"I'm Zashi, no last name. And I'm going to do the same as Inari." the boy was taller than he rest of the group, almost Naruto's height. "I heard what Inari did, and nobody besides Lord Naruto is stronger."

Naruto blushed slightly at being called 'Lord' but let it pass, it wasn't like this was going to become a common thing, right?

"I'm Kazuyo," said the other girl in the group, she had dirty blonde tresses above her brow, while the rest was gathered into pigtails. "Kazuyo Murasaki, and I'm going to marry Lord Naruto one day!"

Naruto was taken aback, "W-what?" a dust of pink graced his cheeks.

"W-well you s-saved wave." she stuttered, her bravado now forgotten.

"L-lets just get to our training." Naruto said uneasily, he really was in a foreign land.

* * *

**A/N: So how was it? Loved it or hated it? Leave a review with your opinion. A lot of what I wrote was spur of the moment. I was inspired by a fic I read that takes places post the battle for the bridge. I started writing this after a fic that I have up on my profile, and I've already completed it, while that story has only a 2k word count. I have to say this chapter wrote itself. From the appearance of the mysterious mist ninja-who I only decided to include after watching a video on facebook-to some of the aspects of Naruto's mind.**

**Then there was the fact that almost every fic that start with a change in Naruto during the wave arc has him acquiring some jutsu in some way, shape or form from the island. Whether it is in the form of one of the islands inhabitants, Gato's 'secret stash' not even sure what he is doing with jutsu scrolls, but meh its ffn. Any lose explanation will do. Or in my case finding jutsu in Zabzab's hideout. So I decided that why not have no jutsu scrolls whatsoever in the hideout. I mean come on, they're shinobi, people are after them. There is absolutely no ways they're keeping jutsu scrolls around.**

**I'll probably not use this kind of logic all time, but I hope to keep it going.**

**Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read, VG out.**


	2. Chapter 2: Legacy

**A Little Piece of Acknowledgement**

**Chapter 2: Legacy**

**AN: I usually save these for the end but in this chapter I've made use of Japanese names and suffixes, the first chapter will be retconned to reflect this. **

* * *

Naruto's choice to teach the small group of five Nami natives had proved to be a good decision on his part.

Not having much else to do, the blonde trained in chakra control with his clones, and taught the children himself. As far as he knew he had maybe two weeks at most, that's how fast the bridge was approaching the land of fire.

In the time he spent there, he had discovered that the Shadow Clone Jutsu couldn't be used to train his body, or perhaps, it could, if pain tolerance was part of the criteria, somehow, he thought headaches, just didn't stack-up.

Inari was by far his most skilled student, and Zashi was a close second.

It may have been his age, or perhaps it was his determination. Not only that but he paid Inari much respect; just a little more than the respect he held for Naruto, always deferring to Inari, before, even Naruto himself.

The rest of the students progressed well, in Naruto's opinion, but he wasn't worried about that. As long as one or two students came to grips with the exercise, they could teach their peers.

Right now, he was focused on getting Inari and Zashi to unlock their chakra. The problem with teaching civilians-especially ones with little to no contact with shinobi-Naruto found, was that they failed to comprehend that chakra was real, and no mere metaphor.

No matter how many times they saw the ninja techniques, it still left them flabbergasted. Naruto counted himself lucky that he was teaching children and not adults.

A swipe, displacing air, interrupted Naruto's thoughts, as the blade cut through the area in front of him and he smiled.

After weeks of practice, he had finally got the basic form and footwork right. Which translated into being able to move at full-speed, and strike without impaling himself.

He was yet to try it out against his clones, not quite secure on his skills not to-technically-kill himself.

Sasuke was also very close to recovery, a day or two, according to Kakashi. That suited Naruto just fine. He was looking forward to the training that Kakashi would offer, even if it was chakra control.

He had a much clearer idea of what chakra was, and he found that even forming his, signature, Shadow Clone Jutsu had become much easier now that he had a basic idea of what chakra was.

As basic as the book he read seemed; it contained hidden depths that Naruto hadn't even begun to consider.

For instance, he always thought that there were only five elements; Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water. It seemed that he was mistaken, there were two other elements.

There was Yin; described as the ability to create form from nothingness, and the power that governs the imagination. Thus Yin release is postulated to be related to the art of ninjutsu.

The forming of Yin Release chakra was vague at best, only pointing to the mixture of chakra's fundamental components, that being physical and spiritual. Naruto wasn't sure what that meant yet, but he would find out. It was an interesting avenue, if nothing else.

The second element, otherwise known as Yang Release is said to breathe life into form, or into that that has none.

In some instances, it is very much related to life, and the energy associated with the living. The ways of forming Yang release is said to be very similar to Yin Release. Vague? You bet.

However, in an odd sort of way he understood exactly what it meant. His Shadow Clone Jutsu was the very example of the two coming together.

Maybe there was more Yin than Yang, Naruto brought his finger to his chin, because they were quite fragile. One good hit was all it took, and their existence was at risk. However, the fact that it brought its experience back meant that it was very mentally aligned.

Naruto replaced his sword to its scabbard. Wiping the sweat that had gathered on his brow from his workout; swordplay was no easy feat.

"Is there any reason why you didn't ask for my help, Naruto?"

Naruto jerked his head to the right, he didn't even know that anyone was anywhere near his vicinity. He did come out pretty far into the tropical forests of wave.

"Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?" Naruto exclaimed in surprise.

"I could ask you the same," replied Kakashi, narrowing his only visible eye.

"What's got you all weird?" Naruto huffed. You'd swear he was doing something wrong.

"What's got me all weird is that you secretly training on your own, and we barely see you anymore." Kakashi sighed as if the whole situation was completely pointless. "Why didn't you at least ask me to help you out? I helped you out tree climbing, right?"

"That's all you've helped me with, Kakashi-sensei," he said lowly. His mind flashing to various points he had seen Kakashi spending extra time with Sasuke. "You always tell me to spend more time on chakra control but not how to do it and that's really sucky sensei. But you always help Sasuke out on anything he asks."

Kakashi sighed, it was true he did spend extra time on Sasuke. It wasn't anything purposeful, he just saw such great potential in Sasuke. He trained himself to the bone every day. From the crack of dawn till the moon was high in the sky and shadowed by darkness.

Naruto just had no initiative, he was sure one trip to the grand archive would have bore the blonde fruit. Ironically, a small part of him realized he was now suspicious of Naruto when he took the initiative.

He relented, "Okay fair enough," said Kakashi, he still had a bone to pick with his genin. "Where did you get that Ninjatō from? It's chakra-conductive metal if I'm not mistaken."

"Zabuza and Haku's hideout." he grinned, proud that he was the first to think of it.

"Oh, you got in there?" whistled Kakashi impressed by his genin's skills. "How'd you do it?"

"I blew the door in!" Naruto grinned, this time much wider than he had the entire conversation.

"Figures," Kakashi shook his head. That's why they called him the number one, most hyperactive, knuckle-headed ninja in the leaf. "Just don't go blowing up any more caves."

Kakashi hated caves and he hated collapsing ones even more. Fortunately, he had Icha-Icha. Coming to that, he pulled out his favorite orange book and flipped it open.

That conversation was at an end, Naruto turned to leave, but he was stopped by his sensei. "Don't tire yourself out too much; training starts tomorrow."

"Sasuke's already better?" asked Naruto impressed, the last time he saw the Uchiha, he didn't look to be in fighting form.

"No, he isn't. But I haven't paid enough attention to you. You're right, so you'll get a bit of a head start." replied Kakashi, his nose not moving from within his orange book, nor his eye for that matter.

"What about Sakura?" asked Naruto, curious.

"Oh, she's already mastered the training," replied Kakashi, too casually.

Naruto felt a distinct feeling of unease settle on his shoulders. "It's chakra control, isn't it?"

"You'll have to wait and see." that did nothing to assuage his unease.

Xxx

Thoughts of his sensei flickered into his head as ran through the trees, the wind caressing his hair. A slight chill creeping into his skin due to the natural mist that wave exuded.

His sensei was the near physical representation of lazy, and uncaring. Mission aside, Naruto figured the man never really took into consideration what he did, just sailing through life as if he was a leaf in the wind.

This whole ordeal had Naruto questioning everything that he had ever known about his sensei. It seemed as though he was changing, in some small way. Naruto would go for the wait and see approach.

There was no telling how long this would last, he thought as he broke the tree line, and the light of sun-washed over him with little warmth.

He broke into a sprint, as he neared the town centered in Nami no Kuni, only coming to a stop when the two guards came into view.

They had two blades, long, sharp and curved. A bastard of a true Samurai's Katana, it gleamed dully in the sun.

They had little in the way of armor, save for the plated gauntlets that had seen better days. Naruto now understood the vaunted words of his village.

The Will of Fire was universal. When it spread, nothing could stop it, such as the nature of fire. While water may douse the flames, wherever there is a spark the flame will be reignited.

Not long after he had taken Inari and the friends of Bachi as his students, the residents of wave had found out and took their security in their own hands by forming a police force.

A ragtag group of fisherman, but a police force nonetheless.

"Naruto-same," the guards saluted, sheathing their blades.

"Hey ya, Gaiji," Naruto grinned, he was getting used to this, he realized. "Hey ya, Daisou! Seen any action?"

"No," replied Gaiji, but he sounded anything but bored about the situation. Naruto could sympathize. Nami had sen enough action to last them a lifetime.

"Nah, it's weird. I'm sure Gato had more thugs on his retainer." replied Daisou, scratching his scraggly beard. "anyway, I hear my Kazuyo is doing well under you…"

Naruto glared at the man, not managing to hide the pink dusting his cheeks. "Screw you, beard man."

"Why are you complaining? I have to listen to 'oh, Naruto-senpai is so cool!' almost every day!" exclaimed the guard, imitating his daughter's high-pitched voice. "I'm lucky you guys are still young, or I'd have to show you why the fishermen of Nami are the best!"

"As if you could touch, Naruto-same with your rusted hooks," Gaiji rolled his eyes. "Thank you for stopping by Naruto-same, but we have to return to our watch,"

Gaiji was quite professional, Naruto found and not only that. He also found Gaiji to be very loyal. If it wasn't for him, he didn't think that he would be allowed to train Inari and company so openly.

"Thanks, Gaiji," replied Naruto, there must be something he could do for Nami native. The hero worship was one thing, but this outright loyalty… it was nice, and it made the fact that he was going back home in a few short weeks, a much more bitter pill to swallow.

Naruto scratched the back of his head as he left, bringing his other arm behind his head and intertwining his hands together. He sighed deeply while passing a few stalls.

The aroma of fish-filled his nostrils, as the smoke became as much a natural phenomenon as the fog around wave.

He smelled the salt in the air as light gust of wind tickled his nostrils. Naruto flushed under the gazes of the assembled women, they looked at him like he looks at Ramen, he thought, for sure that he saw one of the women drooling.

_Nah, can't be! _He reassured himself.

"_Naruto-senpai!" _a girl sing-songed.

_Damn you, Daisou! He internally cursed._

"U-uh hi, Kazuyo,_" _Naruto stammered. He scanned the crowd, _nothing there_, the side alleys held no escape routes as well. _Damn that bastard, he planned this, I know he did._

"When are you coming for our next lesson?" she immediately clung to his arm.

Naruto clenched his fist, subtle as he could he try to slip out of her grasp. She was having none of that, her grip was like iron.

"Huh, what for?" Naruto scratched his head with his free hand. The lessons were in Inari and Zashi's capable hands. There wasn't much he could teach them as far as their skills in shurikenjutsu went.

"Mou, we miss you, Naruto-senpai." she pouted cutely. Her dirty blonde tresses swayed in the wind.

Naruto had no idea that a girl so young could be so devious. He settled for an uncomfortable smile. "When you guys are ready for chakra, I'll be there." he grinned down at the girl, thinking about chakra. "You guys are gonna love it when you can use chakra. Then you can use all sorts of Jutsu."

Kazuyo's cheeks were dusted pink; Naruto-senpai was the best, and he had the brightest smile she had ever seen! She rolled onto the tips of her toes and planted a chaste hiss on his sensitive whiskers.

Naruto shuddered, and the girl skipped away. "Bye! Naruto-senpai."

Naruto rubbed his red left cheek, that was the first time anyone had kissed him; barring Sasuke. That was a nightmare more than anything.

The blonde stood there, stunned, a loss for words and thoughts for a full minute before he hastily made his way to Tazuna's house.

Xxx

A large body of water stretched out in front of him. His reflection looking back up at him from the depths of the deep, salt lake. There was nary a ripple in the surface of the gray lake.

Closer to the middle stood his sensei. Stood? Yeah, that's right, stood. He stood upon the surface of the gray-blue water, as if it was as solid as the ground beneath Naruto's own feet.

Naruto experimentally dipped his foot into the lake, and it broke right through the surface, as if it were wet paper. "How the hell are you doing that!?"

Naruto looked down at his foot, and he got a wet hem of orange for his troubles. It made no sense. How could he stand on top of the water, but Naruto couldn't? chakra control? No there was no way. His chakra would go everywhere.

"Easy. I'm sure you remember the Tree Climbing exercise, Naruto-kun. This is much the same with one major hiccup. You can't channel a constant flow of chakra or you will sink." his Jōnin sensei explained, "just as the flow of water changes all the time, and it can go from light to heavy depending on depth, your flow of chakra has to be altered to accommodate."

His sensei went back to his book, giving him one last tip. "Just like the tree-climbing exercise, it's usually best to start with a running start."

There was an odd tone to his sensei's voice, he couldn't understand why.

Naruto rolled his neck from side to side, and sprinted forward, holding his hands in the ram hand seal. Chakra ignited below his feet, a warm buzz of blue coating his sandals, he ran.

One step, two steps, three-, Naruto was pulled below into the freezing water, he tried to make for the surface before his entire head sunk, but his clothes and weapons weighed him down.

The moment he broke the surface of the gray-blue lake, he let out a choking gargle, while spitting out water that tasted as if he had swallowed a whole salt shaker.

When he finally pulled himself out of the water, his clothes weighed ten kilos in water weight, and dripped with a steady drizzle. "I forgot to mention; it's better without the majority of your clothes."

"Gee, you think!?" the sarcasm so thick, Kakashi could taste it.

"Mah, mah, Naruto-kun. No need for that now." Kakashi drawled, failing to placate him with his lazy manner.

Naruto shook his head, throwing a mist of water from his blond spikes. He inhaled, forming the ram hand seal. He exhaled and took a step on to the water; it was stable. He placed his other foot there, and it settled.

He took a couple of steps forward, it was as solid as a rock, then he stumbled. He caught himself, but the ripples he caused breached through his chakra, he tried to alter the flow but he channeled too much and sunk beneath the water, only his cerulean eyes above the surface of the water.

His blue eyes stared at Kakashi saying what his mouth was unable to say at the moment. _Bastard._

He focused chakra into his hands, finding it to be notably easier, and placed them on the surface of the water. He pulled himself up, breaching the surface.

Ripples fluttered around the area where he now stood, he could already feel his feet sinking into the water, albeit, at a slower rate.

"Stupid chakra control!" the blond cursed at everything around him.

_This is going to be a long day. _Indeed, it was a long and very wet day.

Xxx

After a very long, and very grueling day, Naruto had returned to Tazuna's house, fortunately his clothes had dried. However, unfortunately, his fingers and toes looked like great big raisins.

He finished his meal, tossing Tazuna a simple, "Thanks," before heading upstairs. He never imagined that he would ever feel drained of chakra. this proved how limited his imagination was.

Naruto laid in his bedroll, studying his second volume on chakra, this one was a little more weathered than the previous. It detailed the exercises used to control one's chakra. Pretty convenient, the sections that covered the tree climbing and water walking exercises were pockmarked by hastily written notes.

_The control acquired from tree walking has allowed me a boost in speed. Now that I can concentrate the chakra to my feet, everywhere else is child's play. Zabuza-sama has taught me well._

Naruto blinked in surprise, why hadn't Kakashi told him about it? He could have used it in the fight for the bridge!

He read on,

_The tree walking exercise can be used for various purposes; despite the name, it can be used on almost any surface, save for non-solid objects (refer to page 56 for the water walking exercise)._

_Many ninja make use of this exercise to root themselves to the ground, while preparing for a block to increase their defense._

_Additionally, this exercise can be used to vitalize the body similarly to the Shunshin no Jutsu(see page 112 for more details), improving bodily function when within skilled hands, it can defy limits almost tenfold._

Naruto followed Haku's notes, noticing these were much finer; clearly, Zabuza wasn't breathing down his neck while writing this set.

_An over-exaggeration, over ten times a shinobi's base strength would require near-perfect control, and the only shinobi with chakra dense enough to cause the effects would be a Senju, Uzumaki or Kaguya; or so Zabuza-sama tells me._

Naruto blinked in surprise, and it wasn't the fact that he wouldn't increase his speed by ten. Reading his surname in those notes… it sparked something in him that he had long given up on.

Was his family that famous? So, famous that a killer like Zabuza spoke of their skills? What did that even mean? What did it mean for chakra to be dense?

As much as he learned, Naruto found, the more questions plagued his mind. He flipped through the book, not noticing any other reference to Uzumaki, _maybe she spelled it wrong?_ he thought; and yet somehow he failed to convince himself.

Naruto closed the book, pushing it under his bedroll and rolled over, onto his side. Sasuke and Kakashi would both come to bed, and their snores would drift through the room, while Naruto's mind refused to rest.

He tossed and turned, and he swore he was going crazy. Sasuke seemed to grunt in a fashion that Naruto picked up as: "Go to sleep, loser,"

_I'm losing my mind._

Naruto stealthily moved from under the covers, he grabbed his backpack and quietly made his way to the toilet, his breath slow and soft.

Not bothering to close the door, he stripped into his boxers, and just as he was pulling his pair of orange trousers on, he heard a shriek.

"Close the door, idiot!" she shrieked, Naruto could make out her pink hair fluttering across her flushed face as she bolted across the hallway.

"I hope nobody heard that. Nah, there's no way, they're all lights out!" his widened at the volume of his voice, instantly covering his mouth with both his hands.

After five seconds there was nothing but darkness to greet him, so he quickly slipped his orange and blue jacket over his pajama top, pulling his feet through his sandals and strapping them flush against his heels.

He stuffed his pajama pants and nightcap into his back before zipping it up, sliding the wooden frame of the window pane up, and giving the hallway one last glance.

_Must be my imagination, _mused the blond, shaking his head.

He jumped from the window ledge, softening his landing with a simple application of chakra to feet, then his back as he tucked in deep and rolled, absorbing the rest of the impact.

Naruto interchanged swiftly from the roll into small calm striding steps that soon became a haphazard roll, as he stumbled over his feet, and dropping his bag at his side.

"I don't care what anyone says, I'm the very image of cool." he grinned, although he almost tasted dirt.

_Feh, as if I was in control of the entire situation! _His ego replied. He heard a voice in his head, he couldn't make out what it was saying, but he heard it, as if it were coming from somewhere long-off. _I should really try and go back to that… place. Yami could be in trouble._

Naruto really didn't-

"Naruto, what ring you out here so late?" asked his sensei, who had been casually leaning against a particularly stubby tree.

"Me? Nothing, I couldn't sleep." Naruto shrugged, feeling uneasy under his sensei's gaze. Why couldn't he go back to his old, uncaring, lazy and tardy self? And stop complicating his life.

"I know you Naruto," said his sensei, sighing loudly. He pushed himself off the tree, it seemed as though it took a lot of effort. "okay, maybe I don't know you. But I've come to know you in the little time that we've been a team, and I can tell that something is wrong. Just come out and say it."

Naruto was furious. Where the hell did he get off expecting Naruto to share his personal feelings and thoughts! They were all he had.

"I'm fine. I'm just gonna train for a bit…" Naruto trailed off, walking past his sensei.

"Naruto…" his sensei rested his hand on the boy's shoulder, but he shrugged it off.

"Remember Naruto, I'm here if you need to talk." his sensei called out to him, but he didn't care. There were so many things he was mad about. The old man never wanted to tell him about his parents, and nobody ever mentioned the Uzumaki to him.

They had to know about them! If Zabuza knew about them, they must have been famous. There just wasn't any other answer.

"_Hehe, wearing those headbands pretending to be a ninja… a ninja is someone that has survived numerous brushes with death. Only when you are good enough to be listed in my bingo book, can you call yourself a ninja. You are not ninja."_

If Zabuza could say that, and know about my family could only mean that they were famous. _Maybe they're from mist? Is that why they hated me? It couldn't only be 'cause of the fox._

Filing the thoughts away, Naruto slung his bag over his shoulders, it impacted with a soft thump. He turned his attention to legs, chakra flowing down the center, as if flowing down a pipe that reached the sole of his feet.

His proverbial pipe became perforated with holes, allowing the chakra to bath the surrounding muscles, bones and veins with its godly essence.

His feet thumped against the earth, in tune with his heartbeat, then the thump of his sandals surpassed the beat of his heart, before he was nothing but a yellow and orange blur moving through the inky black night.

Naruto was forced to separate his hands to balance himself, or he was sure to become a splat of clothes, blood, and skin against one of the many trees of wave country. As he separated his hands, chakra began to leak from his feet, and he lost speed.

Naruto scrunched his brow in concentration, forcing more chakra out to compensate for his loss in speed.

The blonde forgot one of the most important lessons about that particular exercise and he was propelled through the air, and upon coming down, he struggled to re-orientate himself because of the added weight of the backpack on his back.

In a last-ditch effort to save himself, he sent as much chakra into his legs and bones as he conceivably could, the ram seal in place, he allowed no chakra to escape, and upon landing he felt the ground beneath his feet given in, sand and dust swirling around his person.

Naruto felt his legs… he couldn't quite explain it, but they were overcome with a slight sensation for shorter than a blink, before the warmth of his chakra overtook it and he was left feeling no worse for wear.

"Dattebayo! That was cool!" exclaimed Naruto, once the sand had cleared, and he noticed the feet sized craters in the ground.

In the next moments before reaching the salt lake, he focused on boosting his speed without hand seals, which of course meant he traded speed for control, or rather he traded safety for less control and in turn less speed.

Xxx

The lake was beautiful that night; reflecting the unearthly glow of the crescent moon, high above. It was still, not a ripple in sight and bright as liquid silver.

Naruto dropped his bag, pulling out his dark scabbard and wedging it between the teeth of his mouth, drool beginning to gather as air sneaked its way into his parted lips.

He formed a hand seal; the appearance of smoke on such a grand scale signified the use of his most powerful Jutsu, The Multi-Shadow Clone.

Several clones appeared, some on the water, and others up in the tree around the silver lake, while rest surrounded Naruto.

Almost in unison, he and his clones removed their blades from their mouths, and grinned. "Let's see how long you last!" he jumped onto the lake, creating several ripples as he landed. "All of you!"

His clones wasted no time, they leaped onto the lake, it soon went from liquid silver to a rusted orange, almost as if their mere presence alone, was corroding the beauty of the silver salt lake.

Naruto jumped in the air, drawing his sword from its scabbard, he slashed, it was wild, it was imprecise, and yet the first clone fell to his deadly sword stroke.

The next clone swung his blade from above, driving it down. He blocked it cleanly, but it sent him plummeting to the silver waters below.

He landed, his right foot sinking into the lake below, but he regulated his chakra once more, it took him but a second, and yet it was enough for his clone to get into his guard and strike with a rear hand grip.

He forced an abundance of his life force from his heels while rocking back, the backlash launched him as fast as any kunai that he could throw into the amassed clones behind him.

He heard two pops, and quickly made space, avoiding an overextended jab to the shoulder, and on instinct alone he lashed out with not his sword, but its scabbard, sending his clone into an explosion of smoke.

"Is that all you jackasses have?" exclaimed Naruto, grinning widely at his clones. His blood was pumping. "I've taken three of you out already! And you can't even land a shot on me!"

"First off, we're you!" exclaimed one of his clones, and then the next clone continued, "And secondly, look at your chest boss! You're getting sloppy."

And indeed, his orange jacket was severed down the middle, and stained with dark liquid. So in his battle lust was he, that didn't even feel the pain of the cut, he wasn't even sure when he received it. All he knew was that he'd return it a hundred-fold.

"Here I-" Naruto roared.

"Here we-" His clones bellowed.

"Come!" they finished in unison. Charging at one another, no thought but absolute slaughter echoed through their minds, reverberating like a war drum.

Naruto found that this time, he was forced on the back foot, his clones were just a bit more coordinated, just a bit more ruthless and their eyes were just a bit more darker.

Naruto ducked, and he weaved, slashing only to have his attacks parried and blocked. Then a cut, and a stab, and he returned to the center.

"Dammit…" he muttered, dabbing at his bloody side. _They're really working well together. _"I'll just have to be faster…"

Naruto dashed forward, focusing chakra into his feet, while charging his legs in a fine mist of chakra to increase his speed beyond their physical capabilities; delving into the metaphysical.

He slashed through his first clone, hiding in the cloud and bursting from the cloud, cutting the next clone across the ankle, and darting through the smoke. When he reappeared, he was above the next group of clones and landed in their midst, their backs still turned.

He spun, cutting into something like five clones creating his biggest cloud of smoke yet. It was only due to canceling the flow of chakra to his feet that he was able to avoid a blade to the chest, and yet he still received a small cut across his torn up jacket.

He held his breath underwater, holding his blade and sheath steadily. He picked the largest group towards the back and applied one of his failures into an attack.

He flooded the soles of his feet with dangerous levels of chakra, and he broke through the water like a wind style jutsu, unfortunately there was no contact to be made.

His clones had all evaded his attack, and there was no possible way… unless his stupid clones were _communicating._

_Just great, they start working together when they fight against me! _He cursed internally, he sheathed his blade, just before reaching the peak of his propulsion.

With the scabbard in his mouth he unleashed two handfuls of shuriken and kunai on the gathered clones and landed again with a small splash, spearing into the depths below.

Instantly, he changed positions, his sword in hand and broke the surface with his blade in hand, managing to cut into the feet of some of his clones. Smoke obscured the rest and he broke the surface with his entire body.

He dashed out, feeling his chakra, and split it apart. It rushed into him and he moved on to the next, simply by the feel of his chakra, dishing out cuts and slashes, jumping from cloud to cloud as if they were platforms.

By the time all the clones were destroyed, the sun had risen, and Naruto collapsed next to a tree, sopping wet with water.

"So, now that you've gotten rid of all the frustration, why don't you tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" Naruto jumped at his sensei's voice. He knew something was there, he could feel it somehow.

Only he had thought it was a bird or something. "What? I was just training. Sheesh! Kakashi-sensei, go bothersome old ladies tryna cross the road or something."

"Stop deflecting, you've been acting oddly ever since you got into that cave. At first, I thought you were finally taking your training seriously."

Kakashi rubbed the side of his temple, "Look Naruto, I'm not trying to single you out. I'm just worried."

Naruto sighed, maybe Kakashi would know. And if he didn't do well at least it would get the man out of his hair. "I read-"

"Wait, you can read?" asked his sensei I mock seriousness.

"Har-har, of course I can read! I'm not stupid!" exclaimed Naruto, lifting his hand in the air, in what he thought was a threatening manner. Unfortunately, the scene was ruined by his weak muscles collapsing and gravity taking over.

Kakashi gave him a look that suggested, he thought the complete opposite.

"Anyway," Naruto cleared his throat, "I saw this bit about the Uzumaki-"

"And you're mad that nobody told you about them because of your shared cl-surname?" asked Kakashi, eyeing him critically.

Naruto nodded slowly, his face paling. He wasn't clever, or smart as some of his classmates, but… well, he developed the ability to mask his emotions, and yet, he was being read so clearly here. By someone, no less, that hardly paid him any attention.

Or did he? And he was wearing a figurative mask over his physical mask? What was it exactly?

"The reason nobody knows about the Uzumaki clan," said Kakashi, breaking Naruto from his inner musings "is because it is something of…a breach in the honor and pride of all Konoha Shinobi and it isn't really something we want to repeat. Much less to the youth of the academy and the future of our village."

"What you mean, Uzumaki Clan?" asked Naruto, despite his droopy eyes and drained voice he stood up ramrod straight and stared into his sensei's eyes, focusing on the uncovered one.

"As I said, the Uzumaki Clan is a point of guilt on the side of Konoha. We remember their sacrifice but we do not wish to teach the future of Konoha about our failures." Kakashi sighed, he had to think on how he was going to word this, precisely.

"Wait, sacrifice?" Naruto's eyes narrowed, ever so slightly, most worrying was his pupils.

_Uh-Oh_, he had already flubbed up,_ best get on with it then Hatake!_

"Do you see this red spiral on my shoulder?" Asked Kakashi. "It's in remembrance, in respect to the great Uzumaki clan of old and Uzushiogakure. You see they feel during the second shinobi war."

"Why is Konoha guilty?" asked Naruto confused. _Were they responsible for this? _He bit the inside of his cheek.

"They aren't. Well not in the way you'd think, although there were rumors…" Kakashi trailed off, looking as if he were talking to himself more than Naruto. The Jōnin shook his head. "Anyway, The Uzumaki were allies Konoha through their close-familial-ties with the clan of the Shodaime-the Senju clan."

Naruto was interested in these… _Rumors_. He could tell that Kakashi wouldn't be sharing the information at this time, so he relented, returning his attention to his sensei.

"...Kiri, Iwa and as the rumors go; Kumo simultaneously attacked Uzushiogakure and wiped them out before Konoha could arrive on the scene."

Kakashi took a tired sigh, "It was our biggest regret."

"Am I an Uzumaki?" asked Naruto, his tiredness completely foregone. What could this mean? Surely there were other survivors, if he was alive, there must be more…_cool it Naruto, don't get ahead of yourself._

It was a whisper, barely above the sound of a light, gentle breeze.

"_I can't say,_ Naruto, you don't have the telltale signs. Uzumaki usually has red hair or red eyes. It is possible to be blonde or brunette, but it's rare. You see, the Uzumaki have such strong genes that something like ninety percent of the time their coloring overpowers everything else."

_That means… NO! I will not allow this to dictate who I am. Even if I am Uzumaki; it makes no difference. They're all gone; besides they were never there for me; besides, if they were around they probably would abandon him as soon as they found out about the Kyuubi._

Naruto bit his lip, looked at Kakashi and asked him one last question, "So, they're all gone?"

"There was word that they scattered across all the shinobi countries," Kakashi shrugged. "the general consensus is that it was hopeful think spread about by Konoha and Uzu sympathizes. But if it is indeed true, they'd be smart to dye their hair and change their names."

"So…" _No, it didn't matter, even if they were around; it wouldn't make a lick of difference. _"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

"Hmm, you say something Naruto?"

Xxx

Several days had passed, and it was finally time for the Konoha, Team 7 to head home, as the Bridge of Wave had been completed.

Naruto stood before the gathered citizens of wave, it felt as though everything else were blanked out into a stark white. The bridge was gone, the land of fire was gone, his team was gone. The weight on his forehead was there, yet it felt wholly different.

All that remained was Naruto, and the gathered residents of wave, there stood, old lady Suzemtachi, her gnarled limb of wood supporting her weight.

Then the windowed Daisuke, a drunk, but he always spared time for the children…even Naruto. Ninja or not, Naruto was still a child to him. Usually gave him hard candies with the rigidity of rocks.

Of course, Rai stood at the back, his head peeking at least five feet above everyone else. His neck thick, and corded with muscle. He was no happier than when fighting, with Naruto in particular, and recently, his eyes lit up when Naruto told him about Zabuza's sword. A small part of him quivered.

A girl wearing shinobi like clothing stood alongside her companions, a strip of fabric with slots, and kunai slotted in was worn across her chest.

She imitated Naruto's use of the forehead protector with an orange strip of material tied around her forehead. Bachi Hana. She really started all of this. This… whatever he was feeling at the moment? Did Kakashi realize what his heartfelt? He seemed to read him like one of his icha-icha novels.

Silver hair stood starkly against an orange strap, Zashi towered above the rest of his "students" by ahead. he had crafted his own shuriken pouch out of something called hemp, modeling after Naruto's own.

Right now, he was only a little stronger than Inari, them two competing for the top spot; the leader would always be Inari, no matter who became stronger. Even now, Zashi eyed the area around Inari, keenly they swept, while his hand rested on his right hip, twitching.

Personally, Naruto thought that he shared a lot in common with his oldest student, but something about him was unshakable.

Eiji wore his orange strap around his wrist, emerald eyes gleamed back at him. Glowing with untapped power, unleashed.

Inari, though short in stature, stood tall, above the rest. His hat foregone, and in its place, a fisherman's hat, made of straw and conned, obscuring his dark eyes, and his own band hid from sight.

Though Naruto knew where to find it, its plate signified him, the leader of their little team; The Orange Corps.

Kazuyo's piercing blue eyes stared prettily from under her brow, donning a puffy pair of yellow hakama pants, and a white kimono tied loosely with an orange obi over the Hakama pants.

He would have liked to see Gaiji and Daisou, but they were guarding the gates. Maybe not Daisou, he was annoying. He could go jump in the Azure sea for all Naruto cared.

Naruto closed his eyes, the tears spilled before he could seal them shut…and yet he let them. This, in such a short time, had become for him-wait what were they?

Not quite a family…

They had become home for him.

"Listen! I don't care where I am, what I'm doing, even if I'm Hokage!" Naruto tightened his fist in determination. Ignoring Sakura's scoff, he wiped the tears from his face, "You are under my protection, and that's a promise!"

"Come on," Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair, his eye squinted widely, "I'm sure the Ichiraku's miss you back home."

_How could he have kno-_

"Yeah! I can't wait to tell Ino that Sasuke-kun and I were on an A-rank mission. She's gonna be so jealous!" Sakura's eyes glittered.

The quartet of ninja turned their back on their assembled Nami natives, yet one was just a bit slower, yet one took the time to glance back and yet one wiped their eyes with the back of their orange sleeve.

_This isn't goodbye._

_Xxx_

**Two Nights later(Nami no Kuni)**

Silence, as warm as a blanket wrapped around the island of wave. The songs and clicks stopped; dead. In the cover of darkness, a man spoke up, his features flat, and his eyes blue hollow.

"The Ninja are gone, Gato is gone, and now I stand. Hiroto Itsuki, the leader of the Kaito clan! We have served too long under the tyranny of the greedy. It is time we take this land back for our forefathers! These Uzumaki scum will pay."

"AYE!AYE!AYE!" his gathered following stomped in approval.

"Then let us go!" exclaimed Hiroto slamming his fist into his chest, three steady beats rebounding off his animal-hide breastplate.

They marched up from the shores of wave, the east coast, bringing up the rear of the main town. His strides were long, and firm, his men marched from behind. The thrum-thrum of their footfalls echoed around him, like the beat of a war drum.

Hiroto's eyes widened, "Impossible, they've never had sentries in the town."

He kept his voice low, but the whispers began to spread through the ranks like a rebellious wind.

"WE ATTACK!" he called, cutting his hand through the air, and drawing his sword. His troops echoed his sentiments and charged with him.

The Guards were ready, a horn screeched through the air in a low whine; it was deafening, Hiroto thought.

Soon, ten more men joined the guard of two, and he saw his men fall, it was Kaede! _they would pay! _He would make sure.

Air rushed by him, he craned his head, and came eye to eye with an arrow, in that moment he could discern all its features. White as bone, a blue tail and a flat stone head sharpened to a deadly point.

Blood spluttered, again and again and again until his boots were wet and he was upon the guards. Their numbers had increased, he realized.

Lights lit up the skyline, and stars flew from above.

He tried to cut them, but he was too slow. He gripped his neck, his sword leaving his hand. _Impossible, _he thought as he tried to plug the red leak in his throat. _A child did this to me?_

Orange, what a despicable color.

* * *

**AN2: Thanks to all those that have reviewed, read, followed or favorited this fic, and The Leaf's Poison Fang. I changed my writing style slightly, let's see how you react? good, bad? leave a review with your thoughts.**


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